[ NFL HAWAII ]
This is more like what Nick Rolovich had in mind. Rolo could join Lelie
By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comA team with Hawaii connections, including his favorite receiver, Ashley Lelie. A team without a star on its helmet.
The former UH quarterback knows undrafted hopefuls can't be too picky, but Rolovich said the Denver Broncos might be a better fit for him than the Dallas Cowboys.
Rolovich, who didn't fare well in a tryout with the Cowboys last week, gets another chance with the Broncos this weekend.
"It was a chance to play in the NFL, but for 23 years I was bred to hate the Cowboys," said Rolovich, who is from Novato, Calif., and grew up a 49ers fan. "I was in great shape, but I didn't perform my best, so maybe that could've been part of it. It was obvious there were some people who wanted me there and some people who didn't. It couldn't have been a more uncomfortable situation.
"This is very cool, a good situation."
Rolovich said there will probably be three quarterbacks at the Broncos' first minicamp, which begins Friday: starter Brian Griese and Jarious Jackson, in addition to himself.
Backup Todd Husak is playing in the NFL Europe league now and Steve Beuerlein is coming off elbow surgery.
Rolovich could end up throwing passes to Lelie, his prime target of last fall with the Warriors.
Lelie lobbied briefly for Rolovich after the Broncos drafted the wide receiver in the first round two weeks ago. But Rolovich said he thinks he might have helped his cause almost three months ago.
"(Broncos coach Mike) Shanahan was at the Hula Bowl, I guess he was impressed there," Rolovich said.
UH receiver Craig Stutzmann also played in the Hula Bowl, but he was hampered by a broken hand. It's healed well enough, however, for him to sign a four-year contract (with the last two years optional) with the British Columbia Lions of the CFL.
Former UH assistant coach Adam Rita is the Lions' general manager, and former CFL and NFL quarterback Warren Moon now works for Leigh Steinberg, and is Stutzmann's agent.
"He's the man, he put the CFL on the map," Stutzmann said of Moon. "I'm sure Coach (June) Jones helped out in this, too."
Stutzmann, who has dropped 12 pounds since last season and now runs a 4.58 40, said playing three seasons in Hawaii's run-and-shoot offense should help him in Canada.
"It's a wide-open attack, similar to the UH offense," he said. "They like to use five wideouts, since they have 12 players on the field.
"I've heard Vancouver is a beautiful place, so I'm really happy," added Stutzmann, who reports June 1.
